Lady Boss of the Month: Grace Heinen, Owner of CreatedxGrace

Written by: Brady Drake

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself.

A. I am a 20-year-old student at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, but when I’m not studying in the south, I live in Fargo, ND. I enjoy hiking, longboarding, crafting, collecting plants, and running my small business of handmade macrame pieces!

Q. How did you get involved in your work?

A. I started making macrame pieces in 2017 as a hobby. I enjoyed making and creating different pieces and challenging myself to make new patterns. I eventually didn’t have enough wall space to keep all my work, so in 2019 I started selling on Etsy. Since then, I have started selling a handful of macrame creations at Unglued in Downtown Fargo, while continuing to create unique pieces for my Etsy shop, CreatedxGrace. Some of my favorite pieces have been macrame wedding arches and large custom pieces. I love the creative aspect of macrame and have also found it to be a great stress relieving activity. I continue to try new things and push myself to make more challenging pieces. Creating knots is forgiving because it allows you to try new patterns and layers, and if it doesn’t look the way you want, it’s easy to undo knots and create new ones. Because of its forgiving nature, knotting has become my favorite way of expressing my creativity

Q. What does it mean to be a Ladyboss?

A. One important aspect of being a Ladyboss is understanding your identity and self-worth. Knowing who you are and being confident in your abilities empowers you and other women around you. Being a Ladyboss also means you’re always up for a challenge and are willing to put in the hard work, even if it’s outside your comfort zone.

Q. Who inspires you?

A. The amazing sister duo Katie Schiltz and Sam Klinkhammer of The White House Co. inspire me every day. Being able to work under them and seeing them run a woman owned small business has been so inspiring. They have managed to turn something they did as a hobby into a business and seeing their creativity inspires me to do the same with my small business.

Q. What is your favorite form of self-care?

A. My favorite forms of self-care are finding ways to incorporate things that I enjoy in my everyday life. Setting aside time for the things that I love to do helps me to relax and unwind. Those things include baking, reading a good book, creating macrame pieces, spending time with friends and family and, of course, drinking an iced coffee always helps to put a smile on my face!

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve heard recently?

A. Try not to focus on what others think in your creative process. Personally, I have found that trying to please others when creating something can make the process a lot harder and it is not as fulfilling. When I am being creative, the best way I can do things is to try my best, be willing to fail and find what works for myself. Finding my own groove and not trying to fulfill the expectations of others is the most rewarding and fun process of creating and owning a small business.

Q. What do you think women need right now?

A. I think women need other supportive, innovative and attentive women in their lives. Women really need a group that they can come to at the end of the day that listens and understands their struggles, yet still finds a way to bring light to their life. Be the one to encourage and build others up and find a group of women that will do the same to you. Know that being proud of your accomplishments as a woman should be celebrated and find time to celebrate being who you are!

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Brady is the Editorial Director at Spotlight Media in Fargo, ND.